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Workers More Worried about Pay, Perks, Prospects
NEW YORK -- American workers are increasingly worried about their incomes and benefits security as well as their employability. More than half (55%) expect to do more work without getting more money in the next three months, a new Harris poll finds.
Aggregated concerns regarding these issues show a slight increase since last month (from 56% in March to 57% in April), the poll finds. This combined measure shows a strong and increasing concern, particularly among older and higher-income workers, while individual concerns show more dramatic month-to-month shifts among all workers.
"The Harris Poll Jobs and Benefits Security Index points to a rise in workers' insecurity about their income, benefits and employability this past month," said Al Angrisani, president and CEO of Harris Interactive and former Labor assistant secretary in the Reagan Administration. "Specifically, workers are more pessimistic about the likelihood of finding a job if they need to look for one, as well as the likelihood of seeing a benefits improvement.
The study was conducted in the wake of the bombings at of the Boston Marathon. As such, results may also reflect anxieties that the attack could set off a ripple effect in the economy, Angrisani said.
Among the key findings:
- More U.S. workers (20% March/24% April) expect to have their salary or hours reduced in the next three months.
- Fewer workers (61% March/55% April) believe that if they were to look for a new job, they would find one.
- Fewer workers believe they will get a raise from their employer (35% March/29% April) or receive better retirement benefits (18% March/13% April) in the next three months.
Looking at the poll’s aggregated jobs and benefits security index, findings Harris pointed to:
- U.S. workers with an annual household income of $50,000 to $74,999 (58% March/62% April) are both the most concerned income group and the group showing the sharpest month-over-month rise in concern. Those with incomes of $75,000 and more also show notable growth in concerns (56% March/59% April).
- Workers ages 55 and older (60% March/63% April) are, in an echo of the trend above, the age group showing both the greatest overall concern and the most prominent growth in this measure.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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